


Is Love Enough?

by cjoycoolio



Series: When Our Worlds Fell Apart [2]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Gallavich, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-29
Updated: 2014-03-29
Packaged: 2018-01-17 08:59:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1381624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjoycoolio/pseuds/cjoycoolio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Love is a powerful emotion but is it alone enough to help the ones you hold dear in your heart?  Read and find out as Mickey and the rest of the Gallaghers try to figure out the answer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Is Love Enough?

Mickey knew from the moment he found him in that club that something changed in the red head. Something that he really couldn't figure out. It was subtle at first .. the mood swings that is. Ian knew how to kept it at bay for the most part.  Mickey watched from the sidelines as the red head expressed outrageous random ideas energetically to his older brother. It was weird for him to see him so enthusiastic about something so completely pointless. He rolled his eyes at Ian and sat himself on the Gallagher's kitchen table. Ian kept going on and on about some random thing Mickey could barely keep up with it but he listened anyways.

"That's cool and all but tell me about it later. I gotta get to class. Cya Ian. Bye Mic"

"Yeah sure bye Lip. Anyways so that's why I thought to myself 'Why can't I learn to do tae kwon do?' and so I started searching for a class  and.."  Ian rambled.

"Why the hell do you need to learn that shit? You already know how to hold a gun and shoot don't ya? That's already enough self defense for ya, Gallagher. Why waste money to do some random asian fighting crap?!" Mickey interrupted

"But that's the thing the first two lessons are free and you know what? You should come with. It will be fun" the red head said with a smile. 

"Yah, No thanks. I got better stuff to do than that shit. And don't you have a job?" the brunette scoffed as he replied back.

"Well yeah but that's not until later" Ian answered back.

Mickey rolled his eyes again. "Fine, then do what you want. I gotta go. Cya at the club later tonight"

Ian just smiled and waved at him as the brunette left the house.

That smile was gone that night at the club. Mickey found the red head on one of the lounge couches being played with by an older man. Ian's face was so far off it didn't even look like he was really there. Mickey knew it had to be some sort of drugs. He briskly rushed to the red head's aid and pulled the man off him.

"Hey go back to your wife and child you old geezer"

The drunk man fell off the couch and just scoffed as he unsteadily got up and walked away.

Mickey turned his attention back at Ian who was unconsciously grabbing his arm. 

The red head turned to look at him and gasped in disbelief "Is that you Mick?" he asked as he took his other hand to caress his cheek. " You're so dam fine."

Mickey hid his blush as he grabbed Ian before he fell forward on the couch. "yeah okay. Let's just get you home"

The way back was a rough ride but they eventually reached the Gallagher household in due time. Though Mickey didn't have a key to the front door he knew how to pick locks since he was 10 so he easily got inside and into the red head's bed room unnoticed by the rest of the household (due to the fact that they were all sleeping). Mickey uncharacteristically took Ian's clothes off as he got him ready for bed. It was weird being this gentle with him but the fact that Ian wouldn't know made it worth the effort. Mickey laid the male down on his bed and pulled up the blankets so he was covered. He then took a pillow and blanket that was laying on the floor beside the bed and lay himself to rest.

He turned his head towards the ginger and just watched him sleep. His chest rising and falling gave the brunette assurance that he was really there and that he is breathing. After all the restless nights wondering and worrying about the redhead, seeing Ian breathing beside him, that was enough to lull Mickey to sleep. 

That morning was the same as it always was, Ian talking aimlessly and animatedly about something stupid. Some days, all the Gallaghers listened intently other days no one paid a single attention to him as they busheled around the kitchen grabbing their lunches and heading out for the day. They usually left him alone with Ian who look rather disappointed that no one seemed to care before taking one look down at Mickey and going back to his charade of false happiness. Mickey figured he was hiding something from him and this was all an act but he said nothing of it. It was that quick saddened look of disappointment that made Mickey realize something was up. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but something was there and he just didn't know what it was. It made him wonder what happened while he was away and what changed him to be all of the sudden energetic and bursting with energy one moment then completely emotionless the next. His mind told him it was the drugs but his heart knew there had to be something more than that.

As the days passed by turning into weeks which then turned it months the mood swings became more drastic. It was to the point where Ian would be up and out and about one moment and the next moment so down that all he did is lay in his bed and sob to himself . It wasn't until that first time they heard Ian's sob in the bathroom did the rest of the Gallaghers notice that something was up with their brother. Mickey felt like his heart break every time he heard Ian wail. Even though he knew that something was up with the red head before the others he couldn't do anything about it. How could he help someone and tell him to tell him what's wrong when he himself isn't willing to do that? He was not good at expressing his feelings openly so it was hard for him to tell Ian he cared. He tried by the little things he did for him like pour him coffee in the morning and tuck him in the bed while he is asleep at night but most of those times went unnoticed to Ian.  It hurt Mickey that he knew that his boyfriend was suffering and he couldn't do one thing to help him. Part of it was pride though. It wasn't like him to be so caring and loving but most of the time it was because he felt so utterly useless.

The Gallaghers knew exactly what caused Ian to be like this that's why it was so painful for them to see their brother fall like their mother did. They tried their best to cheer their brother up but it was moot point. The more Mickey tried to get closer to the redhead the more Ian pushed away. Ian knew he was hurting him and his family and that just caused him more pain than he already was in. The sadness growing inside him made him feel worthless and broken and the more they tried to help the more he felt he had to let them go. To him its better to face this alone than to have the ones he loved suffer along with him.   
  
"Get the fuck away from me!" He yelled as he threw his shoe at Fiona who was just trying to give him something to eat. The shoe missed her but the pain was still there written on her face.  She sighed sadly before turning around. 

"I'll leave this in the kitchen for you to have later" she said before closing the door and leaving him alone. The moment she reached the bottom of the stairs she broke down and cried.

The Gallaghers let Mickey stay at their place because they all knew he cared for their brother as much as they did maybe even more. As time past by Ian continued to spread his anger and disgust of having someone help him. It was almost unbearable for all of them to hear their precious brother/ lover breathe hate at them but they took it all in stride and never once barked back at him. In the end that just made Ian more upset, the fact they kept putting up with him. He just wanted to be left alone in his own self pity and he felt not one of them respected his wishes. 

When Ian was up and about everyone was cautious around him. They knew that this Ian can fall with just one push so they tried their best to be out of his way and let him do what he wants. Then when he did fall they would be there in a instant holding up their all their arms before he reached the bottom. It was hard and tiring but they would do it all again to just to see him live. They all showed Ian they cared by always being around him and telling him how much they really cared for him.  Debby and Carl always listened to Ian's stories enthusiastically. Lip tried his best to be there for him but for the most part he was busy with college. Fiona was busy as usual trying to feed and care for the whole household but she still expressed her love with a kiss on the cheek and an " I love you" before she left for work. Mickey never once left Ian's side and he felt that was enough to show how much he cared for him.  Each day he was alive they felt a sense of accomplishment.

It was Veronica to suggest to the Gallaghers and Mickey that he should be taking anti-depressants. There was an argument that went out at the mention of pills. Fiona, Lip and Mickey were all at Veronica's place while the kids were at school and Kevin was at the other house watching Ian and Liam.

"Woah. Woah. What the hell are you talking about? He don't need no pills!"

"Mick, he almost fell down the stairs the other day. He was so lost in his mind to even notice where he was going. Something is wrong with him. And Ve here things this might help." Fiona tried to reason.

"Are you saying that's he sick in the head? No that's bull" Mickey said in anger.

"Are you fucking stupid Mick?! Can't you not tell that is not the same Ian we all know and love?" Lip yelled.

"No shit. I fucking know he's not the same but that doesn't mean he need them pills. We.. just .. just have to be there for him."

"We tried that Mickey. And look where that gotten us now? Nowhere. Nothing's changed. He won't let us help. This right here might bring him back" Veronica said as he pulled the pills from her cabinet.

Mickey sighed in frustration but then looked at them all and gave him a look that said he was okay with the idea.

The problem then was how to approach this to Ian. They didn't know how he would react to the idea of taking medicine. They were pretty sure it wasn't going to go well though. To no one's surprise it didn't go well. Ian yelled and screamed at them telling them he wasn't sick and that they're "fucking retards" for thinking that he needed medicine but, that was of course when he was in his mania phase of his bi-polar disorder. During his depressive phase he took the pills willingly just wanting to get out of this hell hole he called his mind.

The pills did calm the red head for the most part but it just left Ian so emotionless that everyone almost wished for him to be depress just to see him give off some sort of feeling. It was rather disappointing to see that there was no real positive effect to the anti-depressants. They never once gave up hope though. Every day they see him alive and breathing was to them already some sort of achievement but then their worlds shattered in an instant.

Mickey was the one to find Ian passed out in his bedroom floor with an almost empty bottle of pills lying next to him one afternoon. It was during his "Ian-watching" shift when no one else was around the house but him. He was just making them lunch when he heard a thud from downstairs. Mickey ran up the stairs like his life depended on it. The moment he slammed the door open he rushed to his boyfriend and picked him up cautiously. Thankfully he felt a heart beat but it was slow. 

"Please stay with me Ian. Please don't leave me" Mickey said as he felt tears rush from his eyes. He then grabbed his phone from his pants and called 911. Then he called everyone else to let them know what happened.

The ambulance came just in time and was able to keep him stable during the ride to the hospital. Mickey never let go of the red head's hand throughout the whole three minute ride.

As they rushed him to the emergency room the doctors there kept asking what happened and what pills he overdosed on. Mickey informed the doctors before he was asked to stay behind. 

The brunette waited in the waiting room albeit pacing back and forth before the rest of the Gallaghers came rushing through the doors asking where their brother was and what the hell happened. Mickey broke down at them saying that it was all his fault. Fiona who was already in tears couldn't help but sob at that. It pained her and warmed her heart to know that Mickey loved her brother this much. To know that Ian was lying in a bed barely keeping alive made everyone feel like a failure. They all blamed themselves for letting it get this far. They shared each other's pain and sorrow as they waited for the status of their beloved Ian. It was during this discussion they truly realized why nothing changed. Loving someone meant nothing if that person didn't even love them self. None of them realized that maybe they could of helped him more if they just took time to listen and let him talk it out. They were so busy forcing him to take pills and being cautious around him in fear of saying something wrong to figure out maybe all he really needed was someone to listen. Their love and need for him to get better was actually detrimental to Ian as it forced him to want to face it alone so they didn't have to suffer.

 The doctor said he was fine and stable and should be up in a couple hours. Hours passed and Ian still made no progress of waking up. Mickey, however, never once left his side unless he completely had to.  He sat beside his boyfriend and held onto his hand and stared at him. Fiona came into the room a couple minutes later. The rest of the Gallaghers were sent home and would be called when Ian woke up.

"Hey." She said as she took off her winter coat and put it behind the chair that sat on the other side of the hospital bed.

"Hey" Mickey said as he looked up at her then returned his gaze back to Ian.

"You look tired. You should rest Mick. I can stay with him" she said as she sat herself on the chair across from Mickey

"It's fine. I had a quick nap earlier" he replied not giving her a glance.

Silence fell between them for a few minutes before Fiona broke it.

"You must really love him huh?"

Mickey surprised at the sudden question, looked at her with wide eyes. 

" I mean you wouldn't be here if you didn't" Fiona said with a chuckle.

Mickey looked down at his hand holding Ian's and then looked back at Fiona. "Yeah. I guess you're right" he said with a small smile.

In the end love alone wasn't enough to save Ian and though he was alive and breathing, he never woke up once, even as months passed.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay the message here is not supposed to offend anyone. I'm not saying that love won't cure depression . I'm just saying love alone won't save anyone. People must take action if they really want to help the ones they love. Through out this story no one did anything to ask Ian what was bothering him. They all just thought he was completely sick and that was it. Never once they did they bother to ask him what was wrong. As much as the Gallaghers and Mickey showed their love to him in the end it couldn't save him. So that's really the point of this story. Not that love won't help but that love alone MAY not be enough. Anyways thanks for reading and please feel free to leave comments telling me what you thought.


End file.
